18 January 2016

World Cancer Day is about the people affected by this devastating disease and how our actions can help them, and other like them, by changing the future of men's health.

Cancer affects us all
4 MIN READ
This February 4th, World Cancer Day is about the people affected by this devastating disease and how our actions can help them, and others like them, by changing the future of men's health. We are asking everyone to make a donation, buy a Movember Unity Band and show your support this World Cancer Day:
Here are a few members of the Movember community - Alice, Ben and Ceri - who have been affected by cancer who wanted to share their stories:

Alice Dorrington

"My Dad was in many ways a very stereotypical 'Dad', he liked a good ale, supported AFC Wimbledon, got more upset about Dan Coles being injured during the 6 Nations than he did about the passing away of a family pet! Not having a son to share these things with was no problem for Dad...he simply forced me to share them with him instead. I went to the footie, had political debates over a bottle of whiskey long into the evening, helped de-weed the garden on what seemed like a fortnightly basis, I acted as his 'honorary son'. So when Dad was tragically diagnosed with terminal Prostate Cancer, it was a no brainer for me to take on the Movember cause in the name of Men's Health regardless of my own gender. As Dad heroically battled through the trials and tribulations of chemotherapy, losing his hair and the ability to grow a tache in the process, I proudly whacked on a fake moustache during my morning commute, everyday throughout the month of November in the hope of raising both crucial funds and awareness on his behalf. And there, my love for Movember was born.

For me, Movember allowed me to channel my anger at the disease that I knew would eventually take my wonderful Father from me. As he fought the illness, I fought to make sure that other men would not meet the same fate, that other daughters would not lose their heroes. It gave Dad and I yet another Father/Daughter activity to bond over and year after year, our passion for moustache'in grew :-{D

Losing Dad was the worst day of my life. I had lost my very best friend, my rock, my comrade. But you know what? Without the groundbreaking medical research funded by Movember, I would have lost him several years earlier. So, rather than giving in to grief I knew that I had to take on the challenge that Dad and I had started together, on my own. I owed it to him and I owed it to the charity. So now I Mo in Dad's name. Movember allows me to talk about Rick Dorrington, a man that everyone should know about. A man who never gave in to the disease that attempted to take over his body, but not once infiltrated his mind, his determination or his desire to make a change towards the health of his fellow fellas. If even one man is saved as a result of my Movember campaigning, it will most certainly be more than worth it."

Amazing work from an amazing Mo Sista.
 
 

Ben Bowers

"I was just 26, fit and very active when I discovered I had a lump on one of my testicles. I went to the doctor and tests quickly showed that it was indeed cancer. It was caught early because I took action immediately.  I went through surgery to remove the testicle but did not require any further treatment at that state.  Everyone thought I was out of danger.

Unfortunately, within just three years of being given the all-clear, I discovered I had another cancer on my remaining testicle and that too had to be removed. This time however I did require further treatment and underwent an intensive regime of chemotherapy over four months.

Cancer is a hell of a word. When they break it to you, it feels like your world is falling apart. To be told you have this life-threatening illness is a big shock. I’m encouraging everyone to unite this World Cancer Day, because together, we CAN do something about this awful disease."


Ceri Jones

"I was diagnosed with testicular cancer in August 2015, almost two years after I first went to the doctor with a lump on my testicle. Once I was diagnosed, I was hit by a feeling of anger and relief. I wasn’t angry because I was told I had cancer. I was angry because I should have been told 22 months earlier. The relief was because I now knew what I was facing and how we were going to deal with it.

Right now, I’m cancer free. My family, friends and fiancée have been amazing. It’s been a difficult year with my father being diagnosed with prostate cancer and me with testicular just four months after the birth of my daughter, but if we all unite on World Cancer Day, we can look forward a future where no one is affected by this terrible disease."
 

Please get involved and help spread the word about World Cancer Day this February 4th by buying a Movember Unity Band and shouting about it on social media with #ADayToUnite & #WorldCancerDay.